Someone once said, “If we don’t change, we don’t grow.” The Service Authority has certainly adopted this philosophy with the extensive upgrades currently underway at the H. L. Mooney Water Reclamation Facility (WRF) in Woodbridge. The Mooney WRF upgrade is a crucial project for the Service Authority because the outcomes of these efforts will prove to ultimately benefit the community and environment.

The massive project was spurred by new regulations and deadlines set forth by Virginia’s Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) stating that all water reclamation facilities in the upper Potomac estuary must limit the amount of nitrogen in the treated water that is discharged back into the environment to 3 milligrams per liter (mg/l) by the end of 2010.

To meet future water reclamation capacity needs, the Authority will increase the Mooney WRF’s wastewater treatment capacity and nutrient removal capabilities from its current level of 18 million gallons per day (MGD) to 24 MGD. When the upgrade is complete, the amount of nitrogen discharged from the facility will be reduced from its present 8 mg/l to 3 mg/l, as stated above.

The first phase of the $108 million upgrade has now passed the half-way mark. The second phase of the Mooney WRF upgrade is currently under consideration. It may include expanded odor control facilities, an upgrade of the existing primary clarifier pumping station, upgrade of the electrical system for the existing gravity thickeners, a new laboratory, a visitors education center and road improvements. When completed, the upgraded facility will serve the Authority’s wastewater treatment needs for many years to come and further contribute to efforts aimed at improving the health of the Chesapeake Bay.

by John Overend, Project Manager

the Pipeline - Volume 3, Issue 1